Leslie Mendelson Announces New Album ‘If You Can’t Say Anything Nice…’ & Shares Single
By Scott Bernstein Jan 31, 2020 • 9:22 am PST

Photo by Shervin Lainez
Singer-songwriter Leslie Mendelson will release a new album entitled If You Can’t Say Anything Nice… via Royal Potato Family on April 17. Mendelson previewed the 10-track record by sharing its title track, “If You Can’t Say Anything Nice…”
The follow-up to 2017’s Love & Murder was largely inspired by John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band album. Leslie’s longtime co-writer and guitarist Steve McEwan co-produced If You Can’t Say Anything Nice… with engineer and bassist Lorenzo Wolff. Mendelson aimed to honor Plastic Ono Band’s “no-frills piano, bass, drums, and guitar approach.”
“The best time to make a rock n’ roll record is when you’re broke and pissed off,” explained Mendelson in a statement. “We had started and stopped recording on a handful of occasions, trying to figure out how to make the album on a small budget, but also without making another folk-leaning record like ‘Love & Murder.’ Around this same time, I had rediscovered and fallen in love all over again with John Lennon’s ‘Plastic Ono Band’ and it instantly provided a road map for how to move forward.” Listen to “If You Can’t Say Anything Nice…” below:
Advertisement
Mendelson will support Jackie Greene on a run of dates in the Northeast this May.
If You Can’t Say Anything Nice… Tracklist
- Lay It All On Me
- Medication
- If You Can’t Say Anything Nice…
- Would You Give Up Your Gun?
- All Come Together
- I Need Something To Care About
- The Hardest Part
- Flesh & Bone
- Speed of Light
- My Dark Peace
Advertisement
Loading tour dates